Notre Dame has been here before under Marcus Freeman. Two years ago, the Irish stumbled to an 0–2 start before righting the season. Now, after a pair of one-score losses to open 2025, the Irish are once again searching for answers. This time, Freeman is placing the responsibility squarely on leadership.
“This is the time that leadership shows,” Freeman said Monday. “If you’re a leader, you’re built for this moment. You know it’s not always great. And leadership really reveals itself in difficult times.”
The Irish don’t lack for talent. They have playmakers on both sides of the ball, a quarterback with star potential in CJ Carr, and a roster that was expected to contend again this fall.